The Debt
by ForsakenKalika
Summary: After finally giving up on the idea of romance, Kagome decides to focus her attention on her training and finding the last remaining shards of the Shikon. As the last battle nears, she discovers karma has a wicked sense of timing.
1. First Rotation

Now, before we begin, I'd like to make it know that this is also published on my Wattpad account. My user name is StaceeMagee. Ain't no plagiarism here, y'all.

I haven't published in a while and wanted to try my hand at this fandom. Concrit welcome, flames summarily ignored.

PS- I don't own Inuyasha or related properties. Just this plot.

"Are you certain, my Lady?" A gravel-filled voice questioned from the priestess's left, hesitant and more than a bit concerned.  
Midoriko took a moment to consider the query. While it weighed heavily upon her shoulders, visibly slumping them, the responsibility of this task was paramount to her own desires. The desire to live. The desire to end this fighting.  
The desire to love. She felt her breath quicken as Hiro laid his hand upon hers.  
'And to be loved.'  
It was with this renewed reminder that she was always meant to be a sacrifice, a martyr, that her heart beat doubly and she sighed. Midoriko slid her hand away and continued channeling her reiki.  
"Yes, Hiro-san. It is as it is meant to be." Her reply, though quiet, was determined.  
No more words were spoken.  
It wouldn't be until many years after the priestess Midoriko had created a bauble, the Shikon Jewel, to encapsulate her own soul and the souls of countless demons, that her words would gain their full meaning.  
'It is as it is meant to be.'

"Inuyasha!" A bowstring released with an audible twang, racing toward its' objective. Through the smoke filling the village, Kikyo could see her aim was true.  
Trudging slowly toward the form pinned to a large trunk, Kikyo reflected upon Onigumo's words. Her raven hair swayed as she shook her head mournfully. She had hoped the man had been wrong, but his eyes had held such conviction, Kikyo couldn't help but take his warning to heart. And now, here she was, collecting the Shikon from the hanyou who supposedly loved her.  
Her mouth twisted, half grimace, half smirk as she gazed upon the half demon she had fallen in love with. A stab of pain gripped her, and she was unsure if it was the emotional pain manifesting very physical results, or-  
Another stab, this time causing her knees to buckle, alerted her that all was not well. Wryly, she thought, 'I guess this is my reward,' before her eyes closed.  
"Kikyo!" Young Kaede's frantic scream was the last thing she heard as the darkness muffled her ears.

When she came to, it was with pain wracking every inch of her body and forceful sobs heaving on her chest.  
"Please wake up... Kikyo, please. Kamis, please let her wake..."  
"Ka-ed-e," she gasped. Her throat felt like she had gargled with venom and her lungs felt... Full. A large jolt caused her to cough, and she was unsurprised to see a red taint to her spittle as it arced and landed upon her sister's hand.  
"Dy-ing?" Kikyo already knew. Tears filled young Kaede's eyes and she shook her head violently.  
Her small, slightly freckled cheeks puffed with the force of her denial. "You can't! You can't leave me!" Small fingers fisted in Kikyo's stained robe. For once, she didn't mind the wrinkles caused by Kaede's clumsy hands.  
"Sister-" she coughed and used what strength she had for her next words. They were the most important.  
"Burn. Jew-el." Innocent eyes widened and turned dull with remorse. Kaede understood now, there was no hope for recovery. There was only hope in Kikyo's request.  
head dropped and Kaede nodded, sobbing quietly. "I will."  
With her last wish made, Kikyo let the world float away, strength drained. As she felt the pain slip away and peace approach like a gentle current, she sighed.  
'It is as it is meant to be.'

"Sit!" A large thud echoed through Edo. The villagers, out and about for their morning tasks, just paused and shook their heads or chuckled under their breath. That hanyou would never learn.  
Within moments, a petite figure could be seen approaching from the direction of the Bone Eater's Well. The figure paused momentarily, seeming to stomp a foot, and spun at the crest of the hill.  
"And for good measure, SIT SIT SIT!" The feminine voice rang out. Another large boom and two subsequent cries of pain could be heard on the other side of the hill.  
The figure seemed to lose a bit of her anger by the time she reached the village. When she realized she had been observed, the young woman blushed and raised her hand to the back of her head awkwardly.  
"Kagome-sama," one of the fishermen spoke up, grinning, "Perhaps you could aim closer to the river so we might also reap the benefits of the hanyou's thoughtlessness?" Chuckles and other requests for landscaping had the young lady holding her stomach.  
Even the soldiers passing through while traveling to one of the larger cities shared bemused glances. "If my Lady would please, I'm sure the Daimyo would appreciate a new tier to his garden!" They clapped each other's backs and continued haggling with the sword-maker over repairs.  
As the laughter died down, Kagome ran her blue gaze over the village. It had grown in the last few years, becoming more of an agricultural center than when she had first arrived.  
'Hopefully, we'll finish this soon,' she thought somewhat sadly. The changes here only served to remind her of the changes at home. Souta was already in junior high, and Gramps wasn't doing so hot. She could see the toll the worry over her own adventures in addition to being the matriarch had taken on her mother.  
When she had initially gone to the Feudal Era via that ridiculous well- her lips twisted as Inuyasha's words came back, "Why even bother going if you're just gonna be a bitch when you come back?" She shook her head.  
She was no longer a fifteen year old girl, that was for sure. No longer that love struck innocent child obsessed with the idea of fairy tail romance. She supposed she had the idiot to thank for that.  
He had been her first love. And like any first love, there had to be heartbreak. 'Damn, I'm cynical these days.' With a shake of her midnight tresses, Kagome headed toward Kaede's hut.  
It struck Kagome as oddly appropriate that, while the village had changed over time, Kaede and her home had remained much the same. She and the others had tried to convince Kaede to at least have the men come and redo her roof, but the woman was insistent that the intricate weaving of thatch and rope would do.  
"It is as it is meant to be," the elderly healer would reply, with a little smile and a sad gleam in her eye. It seemed Kaede said that more and more these days. So much so, Kagome had taken to repeating it in her head like a meditation for strength. A reminder that some things were not meant to be in your control.  
Fletcher ill and can't make arrows? It is as it is meant to be - make your own.  
Run out of antibacterial ointment? It is as it is meant to be - better get mashing herbs for a poultice.  
Kagome reached the door and smiled at the voices she heard inside.  
'Heart broken by your best friend? It is as it is meant to be. Get over it and move on.'  
Kagome went inside.


	2. Second Rotation

So, the formatting might be off like it was in the first chapter, because, frankly, I'm writing this on my phone in my spare time. I don't really have much of a plan, just sort of going where I go and making notes where information is relevant for continuity. I have no planned length or anything in mind. , we're in this car together, babes.

Sort of a fillery chapter but it gets us to our next destination. You're about to notice a theme.

Thanks for the follows and the review so far. They'll keep me from forgetting that I'm writing this, so keep 'em coming.  
As usual, I don't own Inuyasha or related stuffs, just the plot. Concrit welcome, flames summarily ignored.

Second Rotation

The interior of Kaede's hut was what one would imagine. It seemed Sango and Miroku were successful in at least convincing the herbalist to expand a bit. When they had returned from their last excursion, having found a shard to the northeast a ways, her domicile seemed to have doubled.

Kagome slipped off her shoes and placed them to the side of the entrance. Her toes could feel the grit of the packed earth through her socks and she suppressed a grimace. 'Still no mats, though.'

She followed the excited voice of her kit to an adjoining space, separated by a thin fabric. No sooner had her hands grasped the linen and she found herself on her back, arms full of adolescent fox demon.

"Shippo!" She giggled, "It's only been three days!" Kagome's nimble fingers made quick work of Shippo's sides, tickling him into breathlessness.

As he regained his breath, she stood, dusting herself off. Picking up the young fox, she greeted everyone else.

A slap. "Hentai!" Shippo glowered at Miroku and turned to stare at his mother.

"Three days was so long, though, mama, and Inubaka was a real jerk!" His small ears folded and twitched in irritation, and whiskered cheeks huffed.

Miroku hummed in agreement and Kagome met his eyes with a questioning gaze. His violet gaze slid to the sky and she understood.

"Well, honey, the new moon is coming up, and you know Inuyasha hates to feel that way." Kagome ran her fingers through the soft tufts of fur on her sons head. The little one sighed and began to fidget.

"But momma, you weren't there!" There was a squeak of whining punctuating his anxiety. Something else had happened, then.

"Shippo, I need to collect a few herbs before the sun sets today, and some are quite hard to reach," Kagome began, eyeing Sango for support. Realization lit the older woman's eyes, and she smiled.

"You did say that, Kagome. I was supposed to remind you, I'm sorry. The hentai here had distracted me." Miroku's hands flew up placatingly as he caught onto the ploy.

"It's a curse! Completely out of my control! I can only hope to contain it!" The room burst into laughter, some tension relieved at the monk's antics.

"But, seriously, Shippo, why don't you come with Sango and I." His grass green eyes lit up and he clapped his claws.

"Can we get those berries again?" Excited wiggling had her settling him down to dance before her.

"If we have time, honey. You also need to be practicing your kitsune magic, so it won't all be fun." Kagome, Sango, and Miroku noticed some of the joy literally seep away from the small kit. 'Of course,' Kagome thought, 'Mention school and it's like pulling teeth, now.'

She leveled a stare at her son, the same, she was sure, her mother had leveled at her in her youth. Kagome's heart panged with remembrance and sadness.

"In any case, baby, go get cleaned up from breakfast. I want to talk to Sango and the pervert and make up a bag." Her son rolled his eyes until he caught her looking. Chagrin decorated his little face and he scampered through the curtain to find Kaede-baa and complain while he washed up. The old woman would patiently listen and impart a riddle or fable for him to ponder, smiling all the while.

"Momma?" His little head liked back through.

"Yes, my heart?" That always brought a special twinkle to his eyes. It warmed her and she smiled wider.

"Kaede-baa says I did good with morning chores and ate all my food and said I could have a handful of candied nuts if you said it was okay so is it okay?" It took a moment for Kagome to process the rapid succession of words which had erupted from Shippo, eyes lifting to the sky and a mock exasperation painting her features.

"I gueeesssssss," she groaned out, pretending to be put out by the request. She smiled and straightened back up, reaching out to touch her sons cheek. "Of course, Shippo, but only one handful. And no magic to make your hands bigger!" She called out after his racing form.

The occupants of the room waited a moment before speaking. Finally, Miroku broke the silence.

"You're a very good mother, Kagome." He left the sentence hanging, obviously unsure whether he should end it there or continue his thoughts.

"But?" Sango pressed. She knew Kagome's mind would be a whirlwind of possible comprehensions behind that statement. Might as well clarify now before there were hurt feelings.

"Not 'but', more like 'however'."

Kagome snorted. "Same difference."

The monk's forehead furrowed trying to comprehend that. 'If it was the same, how was it-' He shook his head. "However, sometimes being a good mom means letting go."

"What?!" Kagome hissed. "Just what do you mean by that?" Sango rose and rushed to her side, grasping her hands.

"Nothing so bad, Kagome-sama. Please calm down." Once again, the lecherous monk moved his hands, palms facing outward. "I heard of a school, for kitsune."

At this, Kagome visibly relaxed. "Oh! Oh... He could-"

"He could go there and learn everything that fox demons are supposed to be capable of." Miroku's calming voice soothed her frayed nerves. What he said now, though, had her tensing with anxiety and spluttering.

"Are you saying I can't-"

"He's not developing as he should, Kagome." He worried his ponytail nervously, waiting for her impending explosion.

"WHAT?! That's bullshit and you know it! He's just a kid, Miroku! And how would YOU know anyway?" Kagome paced in the small space around her, pointing a finger in his face every so often. Her face was flushed and she felt nauseous. 'This can't be happening.'

"It wasn't Miroku who noticed, Kagome," Sango began. "Two days ago, Sesshomaru-sama was here with Rin-chan, and the kids were playing, and it was just something he said. But," the demon slayer grabbed Kagome's hands, pleading with her eyes that the young priestess understand. "What he said, it wasn't without reason."

The younger woman heaved a sigh and dropped into the nearest cushion. "What happened? I'm assuming this also has to do with Inuyasha and Shippo?" She rubbed her forehead, a headache beginning to thrum behind her eyes.

"Aah," the male of the room replied, and sat across from her. "Rin and Shippo had been playing Hide-and-Go-Seek, and Rin hid in a particularly, hmm, verdant bush. At his age, Shippo should have still been able to scent her above the green of the new buds, but he couldn't seem to find her. To provide him a clue, Lord Sesshomaru offered Rin's favorite hairpin. Still, he could not find her."

Once again, Kagome sighed. It wasn't nearly as serious as her over analytical mind had convinced her. "So where does Inuyasha fit in?"

Sango took up the conversation once more, pouring Kagome a cup of still-warm tea. Pouring her own, she stated, "Inuyasha found Rin. Shippo was becoming frustrated and, honestly, he seemed kind of embarrassed that Sesshomaru-sama was witness to it. He and Inuyasha had words, and, in the end, told Inuyasha that, if he was so good at scenting, find Rin himself. Inuyasha walked right over to the bush and out popped Rin-chan." They shared a heartfelt look, sad for the kit's embarrassment.

Mind made up, Kagome nodded to Miroku. "I'll ask him if he wants to attend. Do you... Do you know anything more about it?" She worried her lip, concerned that she was going to lose her son.

The monk shook his head and shrugged. With one final, and hopefully last, sigh, Kagome stood and began assembling a travel bag.

"I guess we'll just have to find out, hmm?" She exclaimed overly brightly, determined to accept what she was handed. As she spun back around to search for more supplies, she mumbled, "It is as it is meant to be."

Sango and Miroku shared a look behind her back.


	3. Third Rotation

Oh my! Three chapters already and this one is the longest?! Gasp! This has some Japanese terms in it, so if you're allergic to google, well, I guess you're S.o.l. Now, contextually, you should be able to figure out what they mean.

Some more stuff happens, and some people say some things. Ha.

Shout out to Kathy for her first chapter review and Lady Sesshomaru Sama for her second chapter review. I'd give individual love to the faves and followers, but, frankly, I'm too lazy to look at my stats to figure out who it is. Just know that you're appreciated (there was even some happy dancing)

I don't own Inuyasha or related licenses, just the plot. Concrit welcome, flames summarily ignored.

Third Rotation

A slight sniff of air. 'Chrysanthemums. Not there.'

Another huff slightly toward the river. Closed eyes crinkled, trying to separate the cool, moist scent of the river from the scents of the flora nearby. They opened in triumph.

"Momma, I found Coltsfoot!" He raced back to Kagome and Sango, a grin widening his vulpine features. "It's over by the river. It smelled like it still had flowers!"

The two females shared a smile at his exuberance. "Over there?" Sango pointed through the underbrush. The kit nodded and turned to lead them through.

"Shippo, did you scent for anything else, or just the Coltsfoot?"

Kagome's voice stopped the kitsune in his tracks and she chuckled.

"Relax, I can't sense anything nearby, but remember, once you find what you're looking for with your senses, you also need to pay attention to your surroundings."

"I know, momma," the boy groaned out, obviously still sore from their earlier talk. Of course she had found out what had happened, and how he had been humiliated by Inubaka. Sure, Lord Sesshomaru didn't seem to be annoyed, but... It was just so embarrassing! His cheeks colored again with the memory.

"You know, honey," his mother began, picking through the brush that seemed determined to fell her. "What if... What if there was someplace you could learn? And no one would think you're bad or would judge you. Maybe with some other kitsune?" He slowly looked up at his mother, clever mind racing to explain her words.

"Mom?" Did she... Was she tired of him?

His insecurity must've shown, no matter how he tried to 'man up,' as Inubaka put (he never understood it, he was not a man, he's a fox). Within moments, Kagome had scooped him up and held him closely to her, nuzzling him in the way only a mother could.

"Oh, Shippo. My Heart, I just want you to be happy. But baby, I also want you to grow up strong and powerful in your own right." Another nuzzle and he relaxed further.

"So you aren't tired of me?" His small voice made him cringe, and he hated that he felt so weak.

"No, My Heart. Never. I just want you to be your best. There are always options if you don't want to go, but still want to learn. We can figure this out, but first, honey, you have to ask for help." She smiled at him, kissing his cheek. "You're not always going to be good at everything, but with practice, you can be the best you that you can be. That's all I want for you."

He snuggled further in her arms and considered her words. 'Always options...'

Inuyasha gave the scene before him a shocked glance before throwing his hands up in the air in defeat.

"Ya wanted trainin' and yer already givin' up?!" The form on the ground huffed her irritation. 'Too bad,' thought the hanyou sourly. 'She pestered me all through dinner for this, she can deal with it.'

"But Inuyasha-" Kagome's whine was cut off by a growl.

"Higurashi Kagome, you said ya wanted to learn to fight. After the fit ya had last night, yer doin' this." Her head dropped and she slumped. Slowly, she nodded and stood.

"You're right, 'Yasha. Show me that move again?" He grinned at her and began to move her through the motions of throwing an enemy.

Inuyasha moved behind her. "Now, if the enemy comes from here, they're probably gonna grab you like this-" He approached from her rear right side, out of periphery. "If they know you by description, they know you have reiki."

He grasped her right wrist, yanking it behind her, while wrapping a forearm around her neck. His breath puffed in her ear, and a more primal, masculine part of himself reveled in her blush of proximity.

'Kikyo...' The thought of his first love, her reanimated husk still walking the lands, was enough to cool his blood.

"From here, take yer left hand and make a fist." He grasped her left hand, showing her how to properly fist her hand to protect her fragile human bones. "Now keep yer arm straight and swing down and back."

Kagome once again did as instructed, but her movements were more of a punch than a low arc. He stepped back in front of her and demonstrated, bringing his fist in a downward swing, from out to in. Her eyes lit up.

"Bowling!" She gestured for him to try the move again, and this time, she got it right. So right, Inuyasha hadn't been ready for it, and he crumpled behind her. "Oh! 'Yasha!"

Golden eyes were clenched in pain, but he was laughing anyway. "That was good!" He wheezed. "Real good!"

After a few moments of nauseating pain, Inuyasha finally made it to his knees. He straightened his rumpled haori and laughed. "Now, wench," he stood,"Yer attacker is gonna wanna get your main hand trapped, so when ya get 'em with your left, it will surprise them. They might not let you go, but they will loosen up. If ya can't blast 'em with reiki, immediately twist and pull your wrist to break their hold. Like this," he demonstrated how she could move her wrist to face the ground and, again, swipe sharply downward to break the hold.

"From there," he continued, "You grab their arm that's near yer neck and use your right shoulder to roll them over you. Try it with me- WITHOUT more hitting."

A few more attempts, and some different angles, and Kagome could successfully flip a rear attacker. 'She ain't gonna like this next part,' Inuyasha thought grimly. It was vital that she move a rear attacker to her front, if not only to remove the advantage from them, but to incapacitate or kill them.

"Okay, wench, ya got it. Now what're ya gonna do when you got 'em on the ground in front'a ya?" She paused and considered his question.

Finally, she acted, dropping to one knee in a single motion while bringing a sharp elbow down. "I can- huh!- deliver a blow to solar plexus."

Fanged mouth slightly ajar, Inuyasha considered the young woman before him. Raven hair, slightly wavy, big blue eyes. It was moments like these Inuyasha realized how different Kikyo and her reincarnation were. 'If they even are,' a part of him, his demon he supposed, replied.

"Yeah, Kags... Yeah. That's enough for now, okay? Let's get back for some grub." If he considered the growing mystery of Kagome on the walk back, she was none the wiser, chirping away about the early April weather.

When they arrived back in Edo, she fixed him with a stare. "'Yasha? Later, can we talk?" If he could've said no, he would've, but there was something serious hiding in her cerulean gaze.

"Yeah, wench. We will. Now go fill yer belly, I can hear it from here!"

His clawed hand raised to scratch at an ear absently. He'd sit and talk about whatever Kagome wanted to talk about, but he'd be damned if he'd let her get away with not discussing what was up with her.

'Thank you, Kagome-sama,' Kaede sent a grateful prayer for the girl. Those coltsfoot flowers were exactly what she needed for the aches in her joints. It seemed her knowledge of kampo had improved, as well. 'The girl was so sweet to have made the infusion right away.'

Her gnarled hands grasped her cup allowing the warmth to fill them, further soothing her rheumatic knuckles. She allowed her remaining eye to trail after the girl, wry smile on her lips.

"Kagome-sama, why don't ye stop fretting and sit down. My child, I can see ye be mulling over a problem. Allow this old woman to sooth thine soul." The priestess chucked her hands up in surrender and sat. Kaede observed Kagome's own hands, slender and artful, but with the slight callous of a seasoned archer, and the nicks and scars of her youthful, impetuous days. She flexed her own hands, a small ache taking root.

"Kaede-baa, you should let me try to heal you. At least alleviate your pain!" The same old argument, then. So this is how this would go. Kaede snorted inelegantly and waved the miko off.

"Kagome-sama." The younger of the two allowed a fond smile slip across her lips and she nodded.

"I know, baa-baa. It's just..." She trailed off and Kaede fought not to wrap her arms around the obviously distraught girl's shoulders.

"Is it thine family?" It had to be. She only adopted this aura of depression after she has seen her family on the other side of the well. 'That cursed well.' Clamping down on the feeling of resentment rising from her belly, the healer's attention shifted to the miko's face.

"Aah," came the hesitant reply. "It's my grandfather. He has- um, he's- well, he had these tests..."

Ah.

"So his time here is nearing the end?" Fighting tears, Kagome nodded in reply. Her eyes were shining and her hands had raised to fist at her mouth. Within moments, her effort to remain strong had crumbled to nothing, and she was sobbing loudly in Kaede's arms.

"I-" gasp,"I never got to-" hiccup,"keep my promise!" She wailed. "I was sup-posed-" her voice broke and degenerated to wordless noises.

For a long moment, the only sounds between the two were shuddering cries and comforting hums. Finally, Kagome broke away slightly. "I promised him I'd fix the jewel, that he could go to rest knowing balance was restored. He just- Kaede-baa, when he told me, he just said that some promises weren't meant to be kept. What could I say to that?!"

Her eyesight may have deteriorated, but even Kaede wasn't blind to the pain the girl was feeling. The utter helplessness.

"Child, he is a priest, is he not?" Kagome snorted wetly and rolled her eyes.

"A priest, sure, but he has no reiki or anything." Kaede wished her shoulder wasn't so tender, she'd pop the girl upside the head. 'In youth, there is much ignorance.'

"I'm ashamed of ye, child. Ye know as well as I the Kami don't care about reiki. True power lies in belief. Thine grandfather is honorable and devout, yes?"

Kagome stopped her fidgeting and stared at Kaede. "Well," she slowly began, "yes, he is. He upholds kami-no-michi even in his sleep, I could swear it!" Heavily slumping into a cushion near the kotatsu, she mumbled, "I wish I had his understanding of kannagara."

Kaede tutted and patted her hand. "To understand the will of the kami is to understand balance. Thine grandfather does not need to have power, he has belief, and his devotion to the kami has always been recognized. Ye may not understand the how or why behind the actions of the kami, but trust and accept that nothing is without reason." Her back protested and popped as she stood from the low table and moved toward her stew, which had been slowly simmering over her fire.

As she checked the rabbit for signs of blood still present and her turnips for softness, Kagome spoke again.

"Kaede-baa, why do people we love have to leave us?" If the young woman's voice had been any quieter, her companion wouldn't have heard her.

"Why does anything happen? Why do the leaves turn brittle and brown before falling from the trees? Why do our fields wither and die in the onset of snow?" The impetuous stare she received back made her guffaw.

"Because, my child, without death, without change and hardship, there is no growth, no life. With every end, there is a beginning."

She allowed Kagome to ponder her words in silence and turned back to her stew. 'The wheel is always turning, child.


	4. Fourth Rotation

Do you need a chair? I know, it's amazing, there's been an update. I won't bore you with the details behind my lack of activity, but know that I'm working on it.

I own a really nifty InuYasha bookmark. That's it. Don't sue me.

The Debt

Fourth Rotation

"Ya wanted ta talk?" Inuyasha's normally brash voice was low, but Kagome still jumped in her cushion. Bottles rattled slightly as her knees reflexively bounced and bumped the underside of the table. Her pestle clattered to the floor to be handed back by the claws hand of her friend as he sat beside her. Inuyasha met her blue gaze with his own golden questioning one. The light from fading day made them sparkle from between the swaying of her simple curtains in the early evening breeze. A stone felt lodged in her chest.

"Sorry. I- yes. I did. I just had started working on something-" Kagome sighed and put the mortar on the table beside. "I want to talk. To you," she added, nerves taking over. Her knees popped when she stood to rinse her hands and she noticed a white tufted ear twitch in her periphery.

"Anythin' specific?" Inuyasha didn't want to lead this conversation. Not five minutes in and the wench was already stalling for time. He laid a fang over his tongue, punching slightly to taste copper. 'Can't lose it or she won't talk," he thought, running a claw through his bushy hair.

When her shoulders slumped as she stood at her basin, the hanyou sighed.

This time, Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin, as Inuyasha out his large hands on her shoulders from behind and spun her slowly to face him. Had she always been able to make eye contact with him, or was she simply taller? She mused to herself in a distant part of her brain on the days when she would look up to the handsome half-demon, figuratively as well as literally, in awe and wonder.

Now, years later, she saw him straight on, for the man and demon he truly was. Maybe that was the change. Maybe she was simply wiser in the realities of the world, no longer awed by romantic notions and driven by flights of fancy. She mentally shook herself. Here she was distracted by her supposed maturity, yet neglecting the hypocrisy of doing so at the same time. 'Stupid girl.'

Kagome grasped Inuyasha's wrists, his hands still laying gently on her shoulders. "It's- I don't know how to tell you. How you'll take it." With a deep sigh, she removed his hands and brushed past him to clean her work station. Linens were wrapped and herbs stored as she babbled about friendship, family, and loss. His ear twitched again and he scratched it.

"Loss? What did you lose?" From his spot by the wash basin, he noted her pale face whitening further before she turned away to hide behind her hair. It had come unbound, he noted absently, in her haste to busy her hands. "Kagome." His tone brooked no argument. "What happened in the future?" Neither pointed out the senselessness of that statement, opting to move this conversation forward. Inuyasha, because contemplating the finer points of syntax was a drag, and Kagome, because quantum mechanics was mind boggling enough being a time travelling priestess whose mode of conveyance was a shrine well.

"Gramps is sick," was all she could say. It was all that would come out.

A beat and finally, "So take 'im to tha healer." He furrowed his brow when his friend collapsed onto her sleeping mat in the corner of the room. "Ya have those, I know ya do."

"It's not that simple, Inuyasha. He's too… he's older now, and his body can't handle it. It's not-" She sighed heavily and waved him over, reaching for his hands. Two strides had him by her side. "He's dying, Inuyasha. Grandfather is dying." Her eyes were swimming with grief and he saw his own sadness reflected.

He wanted… Kami… 'Gramps doesn't deserve-' Inuyasha ripped his clawed hands out of Kagome's before he could break them by clenching his fists as he wanted to do. The world started to go a little fuzzy around the edges, he noted of his view of the woven mats on the floor. Too much.

He was crashing out the door a moment later, Kagome quietly shedding tears for his heartbreak behind him.

A dull thud echoed through the forest. The pink hue of dusk had long since passed, the sounds of the village nearby slowing down and quieting only amplifying the sound.

Another thud, this time accompanied by a hiss and a curse. Sesshomaru twitched his nose. Blood. The half-breed's. 'Upset at the girl, no doubt,' the patriarch sniffed to himself in distaste. Even though human, a fact which was slowly coming more into question, she had displayed an almost unheard of loyalty and devotion to both her chosen pack and her duty as the Shikon Miko. And yet, his - Sesshomaru cringed - half brother still disrespected the Kamis through his treatment of their servant.

Shaking his head to himself, the Lord of the Western Lands proceeded forward toward the village.

"My Lord?" A voice sounded from his side and he looked down. The girl at his side kept her eyes forward, still walking, but he could read the anxiety in her. Taking her adoptive father's silence for permission, she continued. "Inuyasha seemed… unsettled," she stated carefully. "Perhaps it might be more… prudent to arrive in the morning."

His jaw clenched. It was difficult to reconcile the small girl he had saved with the adolescent she had become. He would, however, have to monitor lessons with his mother, it seemed, who had taken to educating his daughter in the finer points of veiled speech. She knew he had wanted more for Rin than the monotony of her station. Learning to arrange flowers and play shamisen was fine, but his daughter deserved to know how to read and write, to know how to manage coffers and speak to crowds.

She deserved the world, and he would be damned if his mother attempted to undermine him for something as petty as his adopted daughter's blood.

"Rin," he said finally. "We will arrive when we are meant to, not a moment sooner, nor later. We are expected." Seeing her eyes fall to the ground as they walked, he slowed his stride to a meander and placed a hand upon her shoulder. "Daughter-mine, we keep our appointments out of respect and responsibility. Even when it is something as small as coming to Edo, when one makes a commitment, one must abide it. A person can tell you much with their words, but their actions will tell you more," Sesshomaru concluded, patting her shoulder and stepping through the underbrush and into the clearing before the village.

A cleansing rain. His youki reminded her of a cleansing rain. It was ludicrous, obviously, being a demon aura, for Sesshomaru's youki to be anything remotely cleansing, but there was a scent to it, a feeling. Kagome shook her head and exited her hut to greet the youkai Lord.

Dropping into a respectful bow, she greeted him with a low, "Lord Sesshomaru" before turning to greet Rin with an equally respectful "Young Lady Rin." The younger girl giggled and Kagome winked.

"Miko," he responded with a nod. A forgotten fishing pole lay nearby, and after gracefully scooping it up, Sesshomaru handed it to the miko beside him.

"Masa's," she replied fondly, "his mother works the paddies." A slim arm rose to point to a demure hut in the distance. "Roughly two seasons older than Lady Rin. Don't make that face, my Lord, he has his eye on Hayate-san's daughter, Hana."

Sesshomaru curled his lip in a silent growl at the tiny holy woman next to him. She rolled her clear blue eyes at him and huffed a laugh. "Really, Lord Sesshomaru?" Kagome turned to send Rin to help Kaede-baa and Shippo with dinner, "Her hands are very sore today, but she has refused treatment. Please give her what assistance you can, Rin-chan."

When the young royal had rushed off to the old healer's in determination, Kagome ushered the demon Lord inside her own hut. Minutes later, tea and small digestifs from home were prepared and plated, and the two sat.

"You should know, my Lord, that while Lady Rin is visiting our village, she will be upheld to your ideals." A pale brow raised and Kagome continued. "I know it bothers you, the human boys here. I'm not- I would be remiss in my duties as the Shikon Miko, Priestess of the Sunset Shrine of I allowed Rin to stray from the morals and ethics of her station." Her eyes glittered at him uncertainly, her cheeks flushed.

"This Sesshomaru thanks you for that assurance, Miko, however unnecessary it may be." The cool statement washed over Kagome and she considered it. 'Thank you, but I already know this.' The realization that Sesshomaru respected her hit Kagome like a bullet to the chest. The cup shook a bit as she sipped it to calm herself.

Silence reigned for a bit while they sipped, broken by his baritone. "You are well, Miko?" Not wench, not human, his respect had grown to define her station. She warmed a bit, but thinking on his question cooled that feeling immediately.

"I am well, my Lord. Thank you," she replied, hoping her surface calm would hide the tension she felt. No such luck.

"Truly?" His nose scented the lie which was not quite a lie, heightened hearing picking up the speed of her heartbeat. The woman before him nodded just a bit too quickly, averting her eyes to a spot across the room.

"I find the best way to lie is not to, as well," his murmur drew her eyes back to his. A grin split his face as her eyes widened when she realized she had been caught out. Sesshomaru schooled his face back into a serious mein. "Miko."

"I returned this morning," her raven hair fell into her face has her small head bowed. "My grandfather, our shrine priest, is dying." He stood, moving to stand next to her.

"Miko, your grandfather helped raise you, yes?" She nodded and he continued, "Then the Kamis are truly lucky to have such a devoted and wide being doing their works. He will be recognized for his service." Without another word, the tall demon Lord walked from the hut to seek his child.

"-And momma said-" guttural noises of indecision sounded from the kit's muzzle.

"Your mother said?" After leaving the priestess to her thoughts, Sesshomaru had arrived at the elderly human, Kaede's, hut. Here, too, he smelled the salt of grief, faded but present. He entered to see Rin slicing red meat into thin strips while the old woman prepared a metal cooking pan. The Miko's kitsune child was sat in a corner in front of a book practicing his characters, and Sesshomaru had approached to seat himself next to the young demon. Twenty minutes later, Sesshomaru was being regaled with stories of the fox's improving skills.

"She said there's a school," Shippo squeaked back before dissolving into excited barks. He quieted at Sesshomaru's answering rumble.

'Interesting, he retains some instincts despite his proximity to humans.' Before returning to his lands, Sesshomaru resolved to speak with the Miko regarding this… school. He had already decided to discuss her kit's development, but hearing the stories of the games she played with her son, he realized she was also mindful of the situation. 'Perhaps she would like-' he cut his train of thought off.

Respecting the power and wisdom of a human was entirely different from offering advice to help them rear their child. Regardless of how good of a parent they are despite the unconventional nature of- 'You will cease this line of thought,' he told himself, and tuned back into the excited demon child.

"-She says I still have to learn maths and work on my reading-"

"You can read?" Sesshomaru was surprised. The kit nodded.

"Yeah, momma says it's important to be well-rounded." The demon Lord agreed to himself. "I think she just likes that it keeps me busy."

"I heard that, kit!" Kagome's voice broke into their conversation. Shippo's cheeks flushed and his whiskers vibrated. "You need to learn to read so you know where is dangerous or what is happening in the world. Maths is just as important. You'd like to count any monies you earn or keep track of your supplies, correct? And writing is just as important for sending missives to your mother during your travels," she finished with cheek, winking and pinching her son's side.

Kagome pulled him close, looking into his big brown eyes. "Ship, your kitsune magic is important, right? It helps protect you from others who try to hurt you, find food or shelter, and probably a lot more you'll learn about that I don't know." She caught Sesshomaru's thoughtful gaze from the corner of her eye. "Well, the things which I want you to learn, the reading, the maths, they are another set of skills which you can use with your magic to become a stronger demon as you grow."

Her son looked pensive and raised his eyes to the older demon across from him. "What does Lord Sesshomaru think?" Kagome locked eyes with his golden gaze and he nodded to her unspoken question.

"This Sesshomaru believes your mother is wise. You are learning Kampo, as well, correct?" Shippo nodded and he continued. "When you find yourself ill from a snake's venom, you will know what to do and how to treat the wound. You will also know which plants will enhance your magic and which sap it away. It seems, young kit, your mother knows what is best." The fox boy nodded and leaned to kiss his mother's cheek, receiving a maternal rubbing of faces in response. Kagome handed over the fishing pole Sesshomaru had picked up earlier and asked the boy to return it, sending him scampering across the village.

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru." He nodded back and rose, brushing his haori off. He offered an elegant hand to her, his claws lightly scratching the skin of her fingers, to which she offered thanks again. When she looked up at him, he simply inclined his head to the door and left. Kagome sighed before following dutifully.


End file.
